Paper-weight



' U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. LE COUNT, OF SOUTH NORWALK, CONNECTICUT.

. PAPER-WEIGHT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,611, dated June 28,1887.

Application filed May 16, 1887. Serial No. 238,299. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. LE COUNT, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper- Weights; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, elear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the manufacture of paper-weights, and has for its general objects to simplify and cheapen their construction and atthe same time to greatly improve their operation in use. With these ends in view I have devised the simple and novel construction, of which. the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawing,

is a specification, the drawing being a section of my improved paper-weight complete. The uses of paper-weights are of course well understood and require no description. It is further apparent that when used upon inclined desks, if the under side of the weight is smooth, as when made of glass or of polished metal, there is great danger of its slipping off. This objection has heretofore been overcome by roughening the under side of the weight by gluing a piece of cloth to the under side thereof or by making the weight in several parts, wrapping cloth about the base of the Weight and securing it by a set-screw or equivalent device, by which the several parts of the weight are held together. All of these constructions, however, are open to serious objections. People who use paperweights are usually desirous that they shall be an ornamental piece of desk-furniture. If the under side of the weight is roughened, either'when made in one or in two .or more pieces, the article does not have a neat and finished appearance, and is apt to scratch finely-polished desks. It consequently is not satisfactory to the trade. Where paper or cloth is glued to the under side in the ordinary manner, the edges quickly become loosened and fray out, so that the weight soon becomes anything but an ornamental article, and where the weights are made of a number of different parts and'cloth or paper secured to the under side by a set-screw joining the parts, the construction is complicated and expensive,

the general appearance is not improved, and

the set-screws are apt to become detached and lost in use. The requirement of the trade is for a neat and tastefully-finished weight made in a single piece and provided on its under side with a layer of fine felt or thick cloth, which will hold the weight stationary by friction on inclined desks, and will not scratch or mar the most finely-finished articles of furniture. It is furthermore essential that the felt or cloth shall be secured to the weight in such a manner that the edges shall not become loose in use. These results I accomplish perfectly by a construction which I will now describe.

1 denotes the body of the weight, which is provided on itsunder side with a recess, 2, surrounded by a flange, 3;

4 denotes a piece of felt or cloth slight-1y thicker than the depth of the recess, which is made the exact size of the recess and firmly secured therein by glue or in any suitable manner.

It will be noticed that the edges of the piece of cloth or felt rest against and are secured to the inner side of flange 3, so that it is practically impossible for the felt or cloth to become detached in use or even loosened at the edges.

It will of course be apparent that the size, design, or material of the weight itself are not of the-essence of my invention. I have illustrated in the drawing an ordinary flat weight grooved at the edges, which I have found very popular with the trade. It may be made of metal, porcelain, or glass, and polished, plated, or ornamented in any suitable manner, the principle of my invention being equally applicable to weights of all sizes, shapes, and materials.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- As a new manufacture, a paper-weight having a recess in its under side surrounded by a flange, and a piece of felt or cloth slightly thicker than the depth of said recess secured to the bottom thereof and to the inner side of the flange, substantially as described.

- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. LE COUNT.

Witnesses:

JAOGB M. LAYTON, CHARLES E. HOYT. 

